Cars admin26.02.2020
New crossover Kalina
Passenger cars with all-wheel drive have been rapidly gaining popularity recently. This is largely due to the fact that alternative crossovers began to be content with front-wheel drive, and their purpose as off-road vehicles became more than blurred. By equipping a passenger car with all-wheel drive and adding several off-road accessories, you can significantly increase the capabilities of the car without overpaying for status.
Many global companies have taken the path of equipping their passenger models with all-wheel drive. AvtoVAZ is also trying to keep up in this direction, offering customers the all-wheel drive Kalina. What abilities did the car acquire with such equipment and has the functionality of the car really increased? It's worth looking into this.
Why was all-wheel drive needed?
All-wheel drive transmission of the new Kalina
When you start getting acquainted with the all-wheel drive Kalina, you involuntarily notice that there was no official information on this matter. The classic all-wheel drive for a passenger model is clearly not suitable in this case. AvtoVAZ has not used all-wheel drive before, and most likely does not have its own developments. Fragmentary information dates back only to 2006.
Using a simplified version with a locking clutch does not pose a big problem for implementation. But the use of various electronic systems as a 4x4 pseudo-drive requires serious development, so it could not appear like that, right away.
And yet, the Lada Kalina 4x4 was created at one of the Tolyatti enterprises. In this case, three conclusions immediately arise:
- work on an alternative all-wheel drive is still underway at the plant;
- AvtoVAZ plans to expand the market by conquering new niches;
- New faces appeared in the company, for example, a Swedish specialist in the place of director and marketer.
These three components allow us to look into the future. Firstly, all-wheel drive is no longer seen as the only reason that gives the car the opportunity to increase cross-country ability. In the developments of all-wheel drive on a passenger car, you can see the more confident behavior of an active hatchback on the highway. Secondly, do not forget the announced appearance of the Lada XRay in 2020.
Rear drive
Unlike a front-wheel drive car, a car with rear drive wheels is more susceptible to skidding. This is due to the fact that, without sufficient load on the axle, such cars have weakened adhesion of the driving tires to the road surface. Grandfather's advice on how to drive rear-wheel drive in winter for inexperienced drivers was to load the trunk with ordinary bricks. In this way, the drive axle is loaded and risks are reduced. The negative aspects of such a preventive measure are not even worth mentioning.
Driving a rear-wheel drive car in winter
If your car does suffer, you must perform the following steps:
- turn the steering wheel sharply in the direction of skidding;
- immediately unscrew it in the opposite direction;
- release the gas pedal sharply.
The trick to this exercise on ice is to quickly rotate the steering wheel. You need to turn it in the opposite direction immediately after turning in the direction of the skid. After leveling the car, gas is added and movement continues. Of course, it is best to practice these elements of “figure skating” on a winter race track or on a deserted area.
Exterior and interior of the crossover
And yet the Lada Kalina 4x4 stands out. It’s worth mentioning right away that this is still a piece product. But at least the car can already be assessed from the photo. If it appears on the assembly line, it will have many competitors. After all, among all-wheel drive passenger cars there are several charged hatchbacks. Similar cars are also in the arsenal of such manufacturers as Opel, Ranault, Subaru and other companies. Moreover, Subaru is the clear favorite here, having long and glorious traditions. New photos of Lada can be found on various sites.
At first glance at the photo of the all-wheel drive Kalina 2013, you can understand that this is a charged car. The low bumper skirt, even with a larger width, barely covers the wide front wheels. The hood is distinguished by an open air intake. The front part looks laconic, without frills. Everything is clear, functional and smart.
In profile, the 2013 car in the photo appears to be pressed to the ground. Large wheels (size R17) with low-profile tires fit slightly into the wheel arches. The lower spoiler gives the car even more speed.
Inside, the all-wheel drive version is distinguished by greater functionality of the driver's seat, as can be seen in photo 3. Several additional round instruments have been added, but there is no multimedia installation screen. The center console contains a tachometer, an indicator of air boost pressure, as well as the temperature of the power unit. It seems that these devices will not be superfluous for such an active car.
The approach is absolutely correct, because when using a car for driving on country roads, additional means of ensuring comfort are not needed. If only the seats were comfortable and the engine did not let us down. The chairs, by the way, look very good, judging by the photo.
The finishing material used for the seats and front panel is, without a doubt, leather. This gives the car an even more attractive look.
Design
If it had implemented the technologies that it had at the time of development of the models, then the 2020 Lada Vesta SV Cross would still have retained the same new body that the current modification of this station wagon has. That is, it would be impossible to distinguish both versions of the car from the photo. The car would retain the same X-shaped stampings on the side doors and large head optics.
The same can be said about the interior. Inside the unreleased Lada Vesta W Cross, one would expect a large center console with a touch screen and a standard instrument panel. The dimensions of the car would not change either. This assumption is due to the fact that all versions of Vesta SW Cross, like other latest AvtoVAZ new products, are made in the same style.
Technical features of Kalina
Even during experiments with all-wheel drive for the VAZ 2110, an ordinary “classic,” significant changes were made to the car that could increase its cost by 100%.
Technical characteristics of different modifications of the crossover
The engine installed on the 2013 model is decent. At first glance, the engine has the same volume of 1.6 liters. But it has undergone major changes, it has become turbocharged, and the Garrett GT25 turbine has taken its place. There is a remarkable inscription on the head cover - LADA Sport.
With this combination, the engine is capable of delivering 197 hp. With. But a single turbine could not increase power so significantly. The air filter has a large area, the engine has lightweight pistons and connecting rods. The engine cooling system has become more efficient, and the lubrication system has received an additional oil cooling radiator.
The main advantage that the Kalina 2013 all-wheel drive has is that it is permanent, without any redistribution of torque. The design of the scheme looks like this: the connection of the front and rear axles occurs due to the center differential. The wheels of the front and rear axles are combined by blocking a viscous coupling and a limited slip differential in the rear axle. Thus, the Lada 2013 does not have the classic scheme that implies all-wheel drive, but it does not look like an electronic simulation of the rotation of all four wheels.
Taking into account the design changes in the VAZ 2013 transmission, as well as the excellent capabilities of the modernized engine, the suspension could not but undergo significant changes. The rear one received a new independent scheme called diagonal. Such a suspension should provide excellent handling. This will not hurt the car, given its dynamic characteristics.
Body
Some drivers choose a car based on the prestige of a particular brand. However, in this case this factor is minimal, since both models are produced by the same company. Many people judge prestige by looking at the body; they differ between Vesta and X-Ray.
Vesta is produced only in a sedan body, but in the near future the plant is preparing to present other versions to the public: a hatchback, a station wagon, a version with increased ground clearance and a car with an extended wheelbase. The latter will be produced in limited quantities, but this version looks more prestigious than the others. Many VAZ car lovers are looking forward to these new items.
"X-Ray" is available for free sale only in the hatchback body. Some people believe that the model is a crossover, but this is not so. For fans of light off-road driving, AvtoVAZ is still preparing a version of the XRAY Cross, which can be considered a full-fledged crossover. Changes in the new product will be minimal: all-wheel drive, increased ground clearance, various body linings and other improvements.
If you like sedan cars, then it is best to choose the Lada-Vesta. If you like “pseudo-crossovers”, the size of which is slightly larger than that of other cars, then it is better to give preference to “X-Ray”. There are no suitable options for station wagon lovers at the moment, but Vesta should soon appear in this body style. The same applies to those who like crossovers for overcoming light off-road conditions. AvtoVAZ is preparing Xray Cross for them.
Photos of the Vesta Cross 2020 crossover will complement the description of this Lada model and will allow you to analyze changes in the exterior and interior relative to the vesta sw civilian station wagon.
bumper lada wheels stylish sale red white sv inside lada seats trunk station wagon comparison salon
A little more about all-wheel drive
Using a center differential is not a new idea for all-wheel drive. A special feature of a device such as a differential is the transmission of torque to different wheels at the desired angular speed. However, this mechanism redistributes the torque to the wheel that currently has the least resistance. Therefore, the center differential will not work normally to provide pure all-wheel drive to the vehicle. If one of the wheels gets into lighter conditions, it will receive all the torque.
Therefore, the Kalina design with all-wheel drive received such an additional device as a viscous coupling. The peculiarity of the coupling's operation is related to the properties of the silicone liquid filling its internal space. It becomes liquid when cooled and thickens when heated.
The percentage of torque transmission under normal conditions does not exceed 7-10%. When the discs rotate with a lag, the liquid heats up and thickens, gradually closing the discs forcibly, and torque is transmitted with forced distribution along the axes. In this case, the clutch reacts sharply to changes in the angular speeds of the wheels, since the drive shafts rotate faster than the wheels themselves.
It should be borne in mind that this method, used on Kalina with all-wheel drive, is more suitable for road cars. Off-road, where conditions for the drive wheels are constantly changing, the clutch mechanism gradually wears out as it overheats. The coupling quickly fails.
We can conclude that the car was designed specifically as a road version with all-wheel drive. The car will be able to confidently move along the asphalt both in a straight line and negotiate turns, without significantly depending on road conditions. This scheme can subsequently be used in the transmission of the Lada XRay crossover.
Lada Kalina Cross 4x4
On the roads of the country you can find an unusual car: in appearance it looks like Kalina, but its body is located too high, and it moves on wheels whose diameter is much larger than those on standard models.
People interested in the world of cars will probably immediately come to mind with the Tarzan project - a development with which AvtoVAZ made a lot of noise at one time, but has sunk into oblivion. As it turned out, there are many craftsmen living in Russia who are capable of making a fundamentally new car out of the most ordinary Kalina.
Prospects for an all-wheel drive car
If we talk about the potential use of a car with all-wheel drive, then it should be noted that this car has a target category. Active young people who like a quick start from a traffic light, who use cars in everyday life, and those who like easy, quick country walks.
Important improvements to the chassis system
The popularity of the 2013 model with the 4x4 index will largely depend on the cost. To the starting price of the AvtoVAZ hatchback, which is about 250 thousand, it is worth adding the costs associated with installing a more powerful engine. The permanent all-wheel drive system should also be taken into account. This may require another 200-220 thousand. Thus, the car is unlikely to cost less than 470 thousand. But additional costs need to be added to the list, taking into account the sporty nature of the car.
If you take into account the installation of wide wheels on alloy wheels, leather interior trim, installation of a modern high-quality music installation, then you can add another 130 thousand to the initial cost. And the transformation of the external appearance, which suits this car very well, will raise the price bar to more than 700 thousand. Of course, the price, at first glance, is rather high. For that kind of money you can buy a new foreign car with good equipment. But it’s the heart and sparkling eyes that always vote for a car like this, not the wallet.
The use of an all-wheel drive Lada Kalina should not be assessed only from the point of view of how charged the car is. Attempts to create a car with all-wheel drive were made from the very beginning of the model's release. With the start of mass production, lovers of forays into nature or to the countryside will certainly be able to order a car with a similar design. This will allow you to more confidently overcome puddles and clayey crossroads after the rain.
The advantage of purchasing a Lada with all-wheel drive is its alternative use compared to crossovers. If a passenger Kalina with a 4x4 formula also has a “native” engine, then when purchasing you can win not only due to the lower cost, but also significantly reduce the cost of subsequent operation.
Until recently, the only all-wheel drive VAZs were Niva cars. After them, prototypes of the “ten” appeared, but never reached production, and now there is “Kalina”.
The design looked like this. A bevel gear with a gear ratio of 1:1 was implanted into the standard gearbox by welding to the clutch housing, which removed the torque after the main gear. A cardan transmission was pulled from it to the rear axle, ending with another rear angular gearbox with a differential. A viscous coupling was built in front of it to connect the rear wheels. The gearbox was attached to the body on a subframe. An independent suspension was mounted on the same subframe. The fuel tank, in order to make room for the driveshaft, took the place of the spare wheel, and the spare tire itself was transferred to the trunk.
Front wheel drive vehicles
Driving a front-wheel drive car in winter is somewhat easier than driving a rear-wheel drive car. The fact is that the power unit and gearbox, which are usually located in front, create considerable pressure on the front axle. This improves the grip of the drive wheels on the road surface. In addition, if the car has stalled, then by turning the steering wheel, it is possible to jump out of the knurled rut.
Front wheel drive car
If you slip into a skid at low speed, you must simultaneously perform the following actions:
- add a little gas;
- Turn the steering wheel in the direction of rotation.
Remember, if you turn the steering wheel in the direction of the road and at the same time press the brakes, the skid will immediately become uncontrollable and the situation will worsen significantly. You can also get out of skidding as follows:
- stop the rotation of the rear wheels by briefly squeezing the handbrake;
- lightly press the accelerator pedal;
- Turn the steering wheel in the direction opposite to the skid.
If the car does start to spin on the road, then experienced racing drivers advise pressing the gas and clutch pedals all the way and waiting for the car to come to a complete stop. A running engine will then allow you to quickly remove the car from the oncoming lane. Before driving a front-wheel drive car in winter, beginners should practice these skills on special training grounds or deserted sections of the road.
